JERSEY SHORE – There are so many benefits to a trap, neuter, vaccinate and release program that animal advocates want to see the entire region blanketed with them.
The idea is that volunteers trap outside cats. The animals are taken to a vet where they are spayed or neutered, and then vaccinated against common diseases. If the animal is friendly to humans, it can be put up for adoption. However, if it has been feral for too long, it will be released back into the wild – healthy and without the ability to make any more kittens.
Brian Hackett, the director of government and community relations for the Associated Humane Societies (AHS), said that in New Jersey, it’s vital for the public and elected officials to allow TNVR programs to humanely reduce the stray cat population.
“Animal shelters are under tremendous strain,” he said. People are adopting less because of how expensive pet care can be. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people who take in too many, becoming hoarders, which is a type of abuse. When these people are caught, their animals flood the shelters, too…